Title of Research

Presenter Information

Start Date

17-8-2018 10:00 AM

End Date

17-8-2018 11:30 AM

Description

Abstract

Background: Mental illness affects over 40 million people in the U.S. every year. Latinos, regardless of legal status are a vulnerable population who experience many stressors. Being undocumented magnifies such challenges, ultimately affecting mental health. Minimal research has investigated the barriers that this population faces as well as the implications that being undocumented has on their mental health.

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the barriers that undocumented Latinos in the United States face and to describe the overall mental health consequences related to undocumented status.

Method: An integrative literature review was utilized to analyze peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2018. The following databases were used: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Complete. Variations of the terms: undocumented, Latinos, mental health and consequences were used to search the literature. The process yielded 10 articles, which were then analyzed using the Whittemore and Knafl methodology.

Results: The findings of the literature review identified three barriers that undocumented Latinos in the U.S. encounter: poor educational opportunities, inadequate economic possibilities and weak social integration. Additionally, three mental health consequences of being an undocumented Latino in the U.S. were identified: fear, isolation/loneliness, and depression.

Conclusion: Being a Latino in the U.S. is associated with many challenges, which can be amplified by their undocumented status. The literature review found that undocumented Latinos face many barriers, which is related to negative mental health outcomes. This population could benefit from interventions that reduce the barriers they experience, which would allow them to integrate into society more successfully. Providing resources to support their mental health problems would result in better patient outcomes ultimately reducing mental health disparities.

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Aug 17th, 10:00 AMAug 17th, 11:30 AM

Barriers and Mental Health of Undocumented Latinos in the United States

Abstract

Background: Mental illness affects over 40 million people in the U.S. every year. Latinos, regardless of legal status are a vulnerable population who experience many stressors. Being undocumented magnifies such challenges, ultimately affecting mental health. Minimal research has investigated the barriers that this population faces as well as the implications that being undocumented has on their mental health.

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the barriers that undocumented Latinos in the United States face and to describe the overall mental health consequences related to undocumented status.

Method: An integrative literature review was utilized to analyze peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2018. The following databases were used: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Complete. Variations of the terms: undocumented, Latinos, mental health and consequences were used to search the literature. The process yielded 10 articles, which were then analyzed using the Whittemore and Knafl methodology.

Results: The findings of the literature review identified three barriers that undocumented Latinos in the U.S. encounter: poor educational opportunities, inadequate economic possibilities and weak social integration. Additionally, three mental health consequences of being an undocumented Latino in the U.S. were identified: fear, isolation/loneliness, and depression.

Conclusion: Being a Latino in the U.S. is associated with many challenges, which can be amplified by their undocumented status. The literature review found that undocumented Latinos face many barriers, which is related to negative mental health outcomes. This population could benefit from interventions that reduce the barriers they experience, which would allow them to integrate into society more successfully. Providing resources to support their mental health problems would result in better patient outcomes ultimately reducing mental health disparities.